Insanity
by ZombiesloveMangoes
Summary: With Belle's new found memory loss and Rumpelstiltskin's vow to save Belle's memories and his son it is a task that will challenge the mind of the Dark One to save his family and his true love.
1. Lost

**So this is my first Rumbelle fanfiction I have wrote a pairing similar but nothing trumps these two and after the 'Outside' I felt the final push to write this so it's a continuation from the ending of the 'Outside' in my words please R and R it would be blessed of you enjoy really that's it oh and tell me if I'm getting anything wrong this is my first alright enjoy**

His breath caught in his throat. This couldn't have happened. This isn't real. He closed his eyes hiding his pain and misery behind the darkness of his eyelids. He couldn't even have seen this, her words echoed in his head. _Who's Belle? Who's Belle? Who's Belle? _It pounded against the walls of his cranium until he felt his world would shatter. He felt salty tears stain his cheeks. She would survive. But he didn't know if he would be able to without her. She would no longer know who she was. Who her family was. And who she loved. Her faint heartbeat and shallow breath shook him violently out of his reverie. She needed help. She needed to go to the hospital now if she didn't there is no chance she was going to survive.

"Oh she'll live," He motioned with the gun at the pained body next to Rumple. "She'll just have no idea who you are." Blood dripped off the side of his face and Rumple couldn't begin to fathom how the loss of his true love could possibly be undone. It couldn't.

"What you've done can't be undone!" He yelled looking shakily from Belle, or whoever her memories made her believe she was, and Hook who still had the gun aimed at Rumple.

"Now you finally know how it feels." Rumple looks over at Hook. His ability to think clearly was fogged with misery. He couldn't pick her up his leg wouldn't allow it. He held her in his arms and managed to carry her without getting up. He looked up the tears burned as he looked at Hook. "Go ahead Crocodile do your worst." He spread out his arms to welcome the punishment.

"Oh I intend to." Before the ball of fire could get to his acquired size a car barreled through the road and squealed its breaks to try and stop. Rumple moved Belle out of the way and watched as it hit Hook dead on. He rolled off the windshield as it cracked and the car swerved madly into a rock on the side of the road. Rumple looked from Hook's lifeless body to the car's dented license plate. _Pennsylvania. _He took panting breaths and Belle began to hit him on the chest.

"Get off! Get off!" Her accent lilted against her protests and Rumple looked down remembering she was there. He tried to get up, but his leg gave out and he put a hand on his thigh as he dragged himself back to the edge of the line. He looked around for his cane and he scrapped his hand on the loose gravel. The pain was nothing to his broken heart. She began to move, but gasped in pain. Rumple managed to stagger to a standing position.

"Shh. I need to get you to the hospital. Come on." He said the last part in a whisper hoping she would let him take her.

"But what about them?" She looked over trying to stand up on her own. He walked over and grabbed her waist before she fell to the ground again.

"I'll call an ambulance." He had no intention of letting Hook be saved. He would let him die out there for all he cared. She leaned on him, but tried to hold her head high as he opened the car for her. She slid in and let her shut it before he walked over to his side slamming the door and violently throwing the shift into reverse. He went as far back as he could without hitting the car and was tempted to run over Hook one last time for good measure, but this was a test for himself, for Belle. He knew she was still in there. Somewhere. He floored it and he began to see the lights of the town. He managed to make it to the hospital in record time and trudge to the ER. They took one disapproving look before they rushed to help her. They began to ask her questions.

"Belle, can you tell us what happened?" She looked in utter confusion and repeated every time.

"I'm not Belle." The doctors looked back at me stunned.

"She crossed the line." He almost broke his stone cold bravado and they began to assess her with new eyes. Rumple looked around. He should alert someone that there was someone who got into the town lines from the outside world. He grabbed his cell phone and called Ms. Swan.

"What are you doing calling at this time of night, Gold?" He took a deep breath.

"Someone's gotten in." He said bluntly void of emotion.

"What do you mean someone's got in." She sounded alert and awake now.

"Someone has made it into the town lines. They are just before the boundaries. I would suggest getting someone out there."

"And you aren't going to come investigate with us or share how you know." He hung up. He didn't want to deal with her questions right now. One of the nurses came by and held her head up to address him, but he could see the fear in her eyes.

"You have to wait out here." He looked around for a chair and when he looked back she was gone. Rumpelstiltskin stood putting all his weight on his cane and held onto the top with white knuckles. How could he let Hook do that? How could he just let him hurt Belle? Now she probably would never want to see his face again. He turned around and walked out of the antiseptic hospital into the frigid night breeze. The gust ruffled the shawl around his shoulders and as he made his way back to the car he gathered it all up in his hand and held onto it as if the hope of Belle's memories and Bae's fate were holding it together and if he let go they would slip right through his fingers.

**So I wrote this fast because I wanted to get it up before you found something else to read and think of mine as an abomination please I love feedback and reviews it doesn't matter thank you for reading hope you liked it**


	2. Deal

**Thank you all so so very much for your reviews and follows and favorites it means more than you know it really does okay I'm loving that you loved it and I just have a quick question if any of you could get me a link to a free website to watch Skin Deep I will give you a free one shot oh and it has to work on phones sorry okay 'Belle's' POV now oh quickly for those of you who don't know my writing style I always put a playlist at the end of my chaps just in case you know you guys listen to music at the same time and want to know what my inspiration was**

She woke up feeling light headed and woozy. She tried to look around at what was going on, but the curtain around her bed made it impossible to see anything. She leaned up and the pain in her ribs announced itself. She took a deep breath through her teeth making a hissing noise and soon after a nurse came by slowly reeling the curtains to its folded up origin. She smiled like a Barbie doll. Something that was forced onto a pretty face.

"Good morning, miss." She grabbed her clip board at the foot of her bed. "We are updating our files, what did you say your name was again?" She thought it was odd that she would ask that, but obliged.

"Claire. Claire Ravin." The nurse gave another Barbie smile and wrote on the clipboard with the attached pen.

"Yes good." She put the clipboard away and began to walk away.

"Wait." She stopped and Claire tried to get into the sitting position. "What happened to me?" Claire couldn't remember anything past watching a man being hit by a car and another, older man, leaning over her protecting her, and taking her to the hospital. And why had everybody called her Belle? Did she look like someone else in the town?

"You were shot. Mr. Gold brought you in shortly after. Right now you need to rest." Claire thought it sounded like a good idea and nodded slipping back down to grasp the edge of her pillow with white knuckles. The last thing she heard was the sound of the rings grinding against the rail as they came to a stop encompassing her in a blue shadow.

xXx

Rumpelstiltskin ignored once again as a piece of glass cut his skin. His palm began to bleed profusely and he decided, after feeling lightheaded, that he should bandage himself up. He had been working all night to clean up the mess that Hook had caused. Half of it was glass and the other half was broken locks from the safes. He grabbed his cane and used the last remaining unbroken glass display to help himself up. As he walked away he saw the bloody hand print from out of the corner of his eye. He made his way to the back room and dug around for a band-aid. Eventually he snagged one with his fingers and ripped open the packaging. He made his way to the sink and turned it on. As he rinsed his hand under the water he rubbed his leg with his free hand. Once all of the blood was gone and swirling down the sink he applied the bandage and took inventory of his wounds. A few cuts and scrapes from the confrontation with Hook, Technicolor bruises already forming on his arms and hands again thanks to that codfish. Fresh cuts from the glass that glittered in the morning sun characterized his hands and knees. And one great, gaping, black hole where his heart used to be. Back to usual as it seems. A cold sneer framed his face. He heard the soft kling of the front door bell and cursed himself for not locking it before he began cleaning.

"Come on, Rumpelstiltskin, I know you're here." The voice turned his blood cold. Looks like he wouldn't have had to lock the door to keep her out. He slowly pushed the curtain back and stepped through cane first. The sight of Regina's mom was not one he wished to ever see again.

"Well Cora. A surprise to witness you here." She put on a fake smile that made her menacing eyes glitter with hate.

"Oh, is it all that much surprising?" He stood firm behind the counter, but gripped the head of his cane with white knuckles.

"Why are you here?" He said through his clipped tone.

"Oh isn't it obvious." She gave a sinister chuckle. "You have incapacitated my little messenger bird, so I am forced to make the deal myself." He gave her an even stare. She returned it, unflinching.

"What deal?" He almost gagged.

"Oh don't play a fool with me Rumpelstiltskin. Love has made you weak, but I do not wish to see you go to such a waste." She gave a crooked smirk. He stayed silent waiting for her to continue. "I know what you want and you know what _I _want, so let's make this simple. Give me my daughter and I will give Belle back her precious memories." He wasn't going to let Cora see how that impacted him. He stayed silent for what seemed like forever.

"You can't do that there isn't enough magic in this world to bring her memories back." He snapped.

"Oh such little faith in my Rumpelstiltskin. I have brought a whole boat load full of magic. What did you actually think I was going to let that dolt kill you?" She threw her head back with a laugh that made him want to cover his ears. "No you are too much fun. And you are the Dark One. It's not likely you would let him win so easily." She twitched her lip to reveal two rows of piercing white teeth.

"What do I have to do?" He felt weak giving into Cora's demands so easily. She gave a deep throated chuckle.

"You find a way to get my daughter to the docks by tomorrow and I will give your precious Belle's memories back." She sneered and walked closer. "Tick Tock, Rumpelstiltskin." He stared at her for a long moment. She tapped her foot and with each foot tap it broke yet more pieces of glass. The silence stretched out. "Fine then I'll have to get my daughter myself." She turned around and as purple smoke gathered around her feet he took long strides to catch up and stop her.

"Wait." He felt like one of the beggars that normally crawled at his feet for more years in their life, or a better relationship, or a never ending supply of gold. She looked back slowly over her shoulder.

"Have you made your decision?" He closed his eyes for a moment.

"Yes, I will bring Regina to the docks by tomorrow in exchange for Belle's memories." He opened them when he finished.

"Don't try to weasel your way past me Rumpelstiltskin. I know your tricks. Just one will break the deal and I will not only take her memories, but her life as well." He nodded and reached into his pocket for a pen. She turned around and shook her head. "No I'm much more simple than that." He looked at her in confusion and before anything else could be said she closed what little distance there was between them and kissed him. He was in too much shock to do anything. _Oh Belle, forgive me_. He thought when she finally pulled away and thick purple smoke engulfed her and she was gone. He had the sour taste of her lips on his and gagged finally. It reminded him somehow of making a deal with the devil. A painful smile danced on his lips. Now he would try to get Regina to meander her lonesome to the docks. Right after he brushed his teeth.

**Hello guys I hoped you liked it I will get to that hospital scene from the promo soon enough I promise I just want to check off all of the things on my list I wanted to cover first and then you know I don't know stuff and don't forget about that link up top thank you so much for reading till next chapter**


	3. Kiss

**So guys to let you know ahead of the times I am most likely going to be posting chapters every Wednesday until I get my internet back and the occasional week day update but that's not a promise but I'll try on Wednesdays back to Belle**

Claire woke up feeling warmth near her face and especially on her lips. She didn't know if she was dreaming, or they turned on the heater and it was just specially pointed towards her face. She opened her eyes and after a second to realize what was going on, she shoved the man from the road, what was his name Silver, and screamed high pitched at the top of her lungs. He obviously wasn't expecting that and staggered back his cane got caught on the leg of the bed and Claire continued to scream. His eyes grew to be as big as saucers and as he got his cane free he toppled over one of the trays. She felt pity for him, but he did just kiss her. Some stranger. She took a breath and screamed again until he left with nothing but the spinning of the tray and confused looks coming from the staff in the hallway. She unfurled herself from the tight ball she was in at the head of the bed and slowly began to take deep breaths. Something far, far, far into the back of her mind nagged at her saying this man was important somehow. It was like the flickering flame of a candle down a deep well beckoning it to follow the light, but it was constantly being swallowed by the suffocating darkness. That he wasn't just a towns person who stumbled on her wounded body. The same nurse as before came in looking at her with that Barbie smile.

"Who was he?" Claire asked pulling the sheets back up to her chin.

"That was Mr. Gold." She looked back at the other nurses and they gave a weird look that Claire couldn't interpret. She turned back. "He owns the pawn shop about a block from the library." She looked back and they blinked in sync. There was obviously something they weren't telling her. And she was going to find out what it was soon enough.

"Would it be okay if I walked around?" She looked at Claire up and down and shrugged.

"Can't do you any harm." She walked away and Claire began to take the sheets off of herself. She noticed for the first time that from the right side of the bed to the window overlooking the street was covered in flowers and letters saying get well. All from people she didn't know. _Ruby? Snow? Henry? Emma? _She picked up one card. _Archie and Pongo._ She titled her head to the side and set the card down back in the flowers. She grabbed her IV drip holding onto it for dear life. Her knees felt rubbery and the more she walked the sturdier they got. By the time she was out in the hallway she was almost walking at her normal pace. Every few steps she stopped to take a deep breath. Claire looked around at everybody as she passed them and they looked at her wearily. She began to wonder what really happened. Who shot her? How did she end up at the town lines with Mr. Gold and the man who was hit by the car? She gasped. Who was that man? Was he okay? She saw a nurse come out of a nearby room.

"Miss?" Claire asked softly and she turned around actually looking friendly unlike Claire's nurse. "Can you direct me in the way of the man who was hit in that car after I was shot?" She didn't know how well that was going to work. Her face softened to pity.

"He's in the ICU right now with internal injuries. You are going to wait until he is out of the ICU until you may go see him." After a quick glance up and down Claire she walked off her heels clicking off the hallway walls. ICU. Claire began again and looked for a hospital directory. She read the sign and it said the ICU was a whole floor down. Claire was beginning to feel sick and achy already so she decided to save it for when she felt capable. She made her way back to her room. She lay back down on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. How she wished she could have a book. She got up for the last time and went up to the desk. The nurses from before looked at her weary.

"Yes?" She was disturbed how hardly anybody called her by her name. Almost as if they said it it would break a taboo.

"Do you happen to have any books?" They looked at each other then back at Claire.

"Any specific books?" One of them asked.

"Anything along the lines of _Oliver Twist _or _A Tale of Two Cities_?" Claire asked politely and they shrugged.

"We sure can look we will bring them up once we find them." Claire nodded and padded back to her room. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a crisp black figure, but when she turned to see who it was they vanished. She blamed it on the drugs and this time she stayed on her bed.

xXx

_That went smoothly, _Rumple thought as he made his way red cheeked out of the hospital exit. _You shouldn't have let your misery let you make a deal with that wench. _He had decided to walk to the hospital from his shop. Something sickly sweet, like a rotting corpse, drifted to his nose and below his eye sight he saw the purple smoke. Rumpelstiltskin stopped and looked around. Once he faced forward again he saw Cora standing in front of him. He almost growled. He looked around once again at the other people around them and how oblivious to the immoral woman in front of him.

"Why is it I am burdened to see you and no one else can lay eyes on your witched figure?" She blew off the insult as if it were a fly.

"Boatload of magic. Oh and I should have warned you. Her memories don't return all at once. Who brain would implode. It is a gradual recounting." She gave a menacing smile.

"I should have read the fine print in our contract," He snapped taking a step around her. "Oh wait, there wasn't any paper involved now was there, dearie?"

"It is unwise to talk to yourself Rumpelstiltskin, people are looking." He didn't care. They could stare all they want. They were always staring at him. Whether it was disgust at a coward, and a crimple who ran away from the Ogre war, or the sudden blink of an eye and he would turn them into a rat, or worse. Cora tsked and before she left in a puff of smoke her words echoed in his ears.

"Tomorrow Rumpelstiltskin. Or it's Belle's life at risk." Rumple trudged the rest of the way to his shop to finish up cleaning.

xXx

After the stack of books pertaining to fantasy and fairy tales and tricksters had been thumped onto Claire's table side she had done nothing but read for the rest of the day and a good portion of the night. Claire felt her eyes drifting to meet each other and swore to herself ne more page, one more page, one….more…She was asleep and standing in the middle of a deserted road. A spray painted orange line separate her from a figure on the other side. As she began to walk forwards a crack of a gun whipped through the air sending her mind whirring. The pain, the white hot pain, oh how it hurt. What hit her? As she fell to her knees the figure reached out as though in slow motion to catch her. Her head collided with the tar of the street and felt a wave of blackness wash over her. She heard names being shouted at her, but none her own. With another crack dead silence wrapped around her ears like claws. She felt a sticky warm liquid begin to trail her temple and soon all consciousness of the event disconnected and she was jack knifed into a sitting position. The monitor was beeping outrageously and sweat stung the slight cuts on her face. She held the blanket close to her chin like a child and a loud bang shook her thoughts. She screamed and two nurses she didn't recognize came running in. One a stout lady with curly red hair looked at the monitor and the other one a rail thin blonde with a nose too small for her face tried to soothe Claire. The stout nurse spoke in doctor and the blonde picked up the book she forgot was in her lap. That must have been the noise that scared her so much.

"Claire, lie down, it's alright now." The blonde's husky voice tried to soothe Claire's qualm. Claire shook her tangled head slightly and eventually lied back down on the duvet. Who was that man? The beeping of the monitor died away as a cool compress was pressed to Claire's head.

"Fatigue, fever, and deliria possibly from the wound…" The continued, but Claire closed her eyes and dreamt of a red room, with red walls, and a red couch, and red chairs, and red curtains…

**Hello again so I'm really happy to have this up that means I can see what else you guys think and how well I'm am doing with the plot and just over all enjoying it **


	4. Hook

**So I am so glad to have this fourth chapter up and going I am so happy to see that ya'll loved the others ones it starts to get really good right up in here so get ready not saying that it wasn't before it was just you know rising action then climax and falling action and maybe MAYBE a resolution gotcha there now didn't I hehehee I'm evil ok Belle's up well from now on you should know I will close to always start with Belle and end with Rumple so yea thanks Remember RxR no fave or follow without review thank you**

Claire flipped the page from the book and continued to read from its passages. Word after word her mind was refreshed of the pages that her eyes trailed and absorbed the words. Claire could feel the swirl of déjà vu enthralled her into turning the pages. Somehow she knew exactly what was going to come next. She ran her fingers gingerly over the words and felt the entire plot come swirling into her mind. She gasped, recoiling her hand. She shut the book throwing it to the night stand as it if were on fire. She felt nausea begin to bubble its way to her throat and she just had enough energy to run to the small water closet and aim for the sink. As the bile forced its way through her esophagus she wished there was someone there to soothe her. Tell her it was going to be okay. She spit almost glad there was no one there because that was unladylike. She turned on the faucet and shut the door leaning back onto it feeling the coolness bite back her squeamish temperament. She closed her eyes wishing for the protective arms of her beloved around her. Except that couldn't happen. She didn't have one. Claire opened her eyes steeling herself and turned the water to cold. She grabbed a wash cloth and dampened it placing it on her forehead and around her face. She used a different to wipe her mouth. Her head pounded as a migraine raged its way to her temporal lobe. She wanted this gone. It was bad enough she was shot now she was having weird visions. _They're not visions. They're not visions. _She tried to persuade herself, but somehow she knew it wasn't true. They couldn't have been visions it felt so surreal like she had already read the book not as if she was going to read the book. Like a memory somehow. Maybe the man who shot her had the answers. She put the wash cloth in the sink and nimbly began to work her way through the hallways. She found the ICU with no trouble from any of the staff. They had gotten used to her casual meanders. She began to look through the windows. She didn't recognize any of them. She saw there was one more door without a window and wondered who was in there. She tested the silver handle to find it was locked. She looked around cautiously and grabbed a hair pin from her hair. She hurriedly picked the lock and heard the satisfying click of the door unlocking. She put the pin back in her untidy hair and opened it with her back to the door and her eyes precariously scanning the darkened hallways. Once she was in she silently shut the door and spun around. The sound of a heart monitor beeped softly. No moonlight or stars reached this room. It gave Claire a daunting feeling of who occupied it. As she walked forward she saw a silver gleam catch what little light there was in the room. She stopped waiting for it to move again, but it stayed frozen in its place. She tiptoed to get a closer look. If it weren't for the sound of oxygen being pumped evenly into the body she would have thought he was dead. His barely beard covered his face and tubes ran from his nose and mouth. Black hair lay matted and speckled with the dial lights from his monitors. Claire sat down in the chair next to his bed. She watched him as he slept and wondered how she came into acquaintance with the man in the bed. Why had he shot her? Why was Mr. Gold so adamant in making sure _she _was okay? As her brain combed through the possibilities the man's eyes slowly opened and sent Claire into a standing position. She could faintly see the shine of his blue eyes in the dim light. She stayed in the shadow of darkness. He chuckled with venom in his voice.

"A surprise to see you here." He managed to turn his head to look at her and his eyes blazed with rage. What had she done? Who was she to him?

"Who are you?" She tilted her head as if that would give her the answers she was looking for from the new perspective.

"My name is not the one you should be asking." She turned her head the opposite direction confused by his riddled answer.

"Then who should I be asking that to?" He showed his teeth and she was weary and regretting stepping into the room.

"You'll know soon enough." A wicked expression devoured his face.

"Why did you shoot me?" She had the dreaded feeling that made her think of swimming in shark infested waters.

"Don't take it personally. I only wanted to hurt the Crocodile for what he did to my love. You were only collateral damage." She felt like she was punch in the stomach. She wouldn't let him see that though. She maintained her interrogative bravado. "Now you will live the rest of your life wandering like a child who lost their mother." His snide remark made her want to shiver.

"I seem to be doing well so far. Lost is not something I dwell in." She clenched her fists and stood a little straighter to emphasize her statement.

"Not now you don't." He riddled her once again and she figured no answers were going to be compiled from him, so she gave him one last even stare and unclenched her fists. She blinked and turned on her heel retreating back into the empty, shadowed hallway. She stayed catching the breath she didn't know she held and closed her eyes. Crocodile? How many names do people in this town have? She tried to pacify her bedlam. Out of the few people she had met only two of them she knew when she had been shot. And maybe had the answers. Now with one down there was only one to go.

xXx

After the shop was cleaned and checked for any stolen items Rumpelstiltskin decided to uphold his end of the deal; it would be hypocritical if he didn't. He walked to the queen's house to evaluate the flaws and loopholes in his grand plan, for it could be the last great plan he would ever have. He ran it over in his head again and again. He had lied many a times before, but none as great as this one. One that would not hurt only him, but his beloved as well. He mumbled under his breath as he clicked open the sheriff's station door. Emma was there and it made him look for some way to let Regina out of the cage. He had timed it right that he probably didn't need to.

"Come to give a statement?" She asked putting her pen down and standing up.

"No, I came as a visitor." He could see Regina out of the corner of his eye jump to the bars and try to poke her head through.

"Why would the likes of you want to see someone of my current positioning?" She said through the bars. He turned his head acknowledging her.

"If I remember correctly Mr. Hopper justified that it was not, in fact, you who had supposedly killed him, but Cora in a disguise that happened to look like you." He set the cane in front of him gripping it tightly putting his weight on it. Ms. Swan eyed him suspiciously. "In fact I do believe it is time for Henry to be picked up from school is it not?" He looked out the corner of his eye at her and she kept her eyes half lidded.

"Don't kill each other." Was all she said before she grabbed her jacket leaving without a look behind her. He waited until he could no longer hear her before walking forward. Regina straightened back from the bars, but kept her fingers clenched firmly on the metal barricades.

"What do you want Gold?" She spat.

"Now dearie, is that any way to speak to the person who is going to show you where Cora is hiding?" Her breath hitched and her eyes widened in terror.

"How did you – " She couldn't finish before he snapped his fingers and the lock snapped. A soft churning sounded as the gate rolled open. She still hadn't moved. "What's in this for you?"

"Nothing brings two people together like a common enemy." He could see the wheels grinding in her head as she weighed the options. Seconds ticked by before she took the first step out of the cell. He gave a placid smile and hurried to hide it. He began to walk before she even managed to conjure up another question. "Come along dearie, time is of the essence." Soon after opening the door he heard the sharp tap of her heels on the linoleum floor. Soon she was adjacent to him and he could see her black curled hair sashay as she walked.

"Where is she?" She acted as though she was calm, yet her voice was flickering with hate and fright.

"This is a place better shown than told." They began the trek to the docks. By the time they saw the white masts in the horizon Regina stopped in her tracks, looking pale.

"Why here?" She sounded like it was more to herself. He half turned and waved his hand in the direction.

"Why not here?" She shakily continued to walk not looking at anything in particular. He let her go ahead of him and he looked around. Hook's ship was in the farthest plot he knew, but didn't think Cora herself would be vacating in that wreck. He could see and almost hear the memories replaying in his head. As they neared the end of the wharf a malicious voice arose from the current around them.

"Regina. You're a sight for sore eyes." The evil queen halted and looked almost frozen.

"Cora." It was hardly audible from his vantage point behind her.

"Is that any way to greet your mother?" A vile laugh erupted behind him and he turned slowly to look at Cora. She was dressed for a show. A flowing black dress that curled around the boards at her feet was speckled with red and he couldn't help but imagine that it wasn't dye. Regina hadn't turned around, but he knew she was trying to calm herself. "Rumpelstiltskin. Long time no see." He heard the creak of the planks underneath him and knew she had turned to look at him.

"You set me up." She choked through anger.

"Indeed it seems I have." He didn't turn. He stared at Cora with masked fury.

"Now that your end of the deal is upheld I see no further use for you." She waved her hand in indication for him to leave, but he held his ground.

"Who says I'm giving her to you." Cora's attention snapped back to him and a manic glare held him firm.

"What?" Her hand was still in midair from her usher for him to leave.

"Belle doesn't remember me, not fully, who says I have to give her to you now. All I did is send her to the docks, in which I had accomplished." A wind picked up and the salty brine from the sea attacked his eyes. His hair furled around his face as he retained concentration on the malevolent mother.

"You are dealing with fire Rumpelstiltskin, you know what is at risk." A stray strand of black graying hair came loose in the zephyr. The groaning from the wharf below him gave away Regina's movement.

"How did you get here?" She asked moving to the space between Rumple and Cora. The tension in the air cackled with energy. Not taking her eyes off of Cora, Regina spoke again, "Rumpelstiltskin this is not your fight." He was taken aback. Maybe it's true, she is changing. What would come from this he didn't know, but he knew he didn't want to wait around and find out. He didn't risk the chance on her mind changing and used what little magic he could muster up and transported to the entrance of his shop. Knowing Cora he wasn't going to walk away from that conflict. He looked in the direction of the coast and winds swirled around bring clouds and the sound of thunder with it. He entered the shop turning the lock on the door. Not long after he stepped in his cell phone rang. The caller ID said Dr. Whale. He wondered what he could possibly want.

"Gold. You need to come down here, you are being summoned." Confusion traced his expression.

"By who?"

"Belle."

**Bit of a cliff hanger sorry if this one was longer than the others unless you like that wink ha sorry damn school has been infuriating and blocked my who writing inspiration but you all say that last episode right of course you all did now I think I'm in denial but the breaking true breaking of the cup is superposition its good and bad at the same time it destroys the bond forged by mistakes and heartbreak like the ultimate reset button but it also gives them a reset a chance to show her he can change and show him that all of her protests that he is not a beast is true we are as shattered as the cup but we can manage we did for this long come on pull through Rumbellers WE GOT THIS**


	5. Memories

**Thank you for all of your support heres another chapter please review I hate to ask, but reviews are everything for writers it's like gold to us we love it and the more we get them the happier we are to get more by writing**

Claire wrapped her arms around her chest. It felt as though it had dropped hundred degrees since her conversation with that man and the request to get Mr. Gold to come by. Her nerves had cinched her into a tight ball and she couldn't relieve the tension at what he had said from her body. Her coiled ears could pick up every noise in the hallways. Soon a new noise filled her reflexive ear drums. The hurried taping of a cane. She had only ever seen on person with a cane. And he had just recently tried to kiss her. As soon as his figure stood wary in the doorway she relaxed. He flexed his muscles under his tailored suit and could see the blood begin to seep out of the veins in his hand holding the cane.

"You – You summoned me?" He sounded weary and uncomfortable. From the looks and all of the word that had spread round this hospital he was not often put in a situation like this. Where he was the one wondering what was going to happen next. She motioned for him to take the seat next to her bed and he cautiously approached the chair like if he got too close he would scream in his face 'just kidding' and pull a camera crew out like some prank show. He got to the chair, but didn't sit back in it. He looked rather unwieldy. She thought about what to say in the extending silence and moved to have her legs hanging off the side of the bed.

"I want to know what happened." Claire looked at his hands whilst he looked at my legs, both of them cowards in this current situation.

"What do you mean?" He sounded clipped and polite, but she could see the slight clench and unclench of his fists on the cane head.

"I mean…" Her voice trailed into silence. "I mean why would someone want to shoot a librarian? Why were you so helpful to me when I don't even know you? Why do I feel like I should know you somehow, but there is something like fog as thick as a wall hiding the answer from me?" That last question made his eyes shoot up briefly to the top of her head then back down at her legs. Had she not flicked her own eyes to look at his eyes at the same time she wouldn't have noticed the change.

"What should I answer first?" He gave a nervous chuckle and put his head on his knuckles gripping the cane.

"Why was I shot?" She stated simply. He looked tense. She couldn't help but think that he was perfecting his lie. "I want. The truth." She stated bluntly looking up and staring at a spot on his windblown hair. He took a deep breath.

"You're not going to believe me." She rewarded him with silence. "Okay, we were going to the town line to try and see if an enchantment I had made would work, so I may leave this godforsaken town and find my son. You were standing on the edge of the line whilst – " He turned to sudden rage and managed to compress it. "- Hook crept up behind you and shot you."

"Why were you with me?" This seemed for uncomfortable to him than the previous question, despite her sudden interest in his word phrasing. It was after a minute that he finally replied.

"We are – were – in a – " He broke off milling around for the word to describe and she could see the wheels churning in his mind as he turned it slightly to the right as if it would help. " – Sort of relationship." He gave a long distance smile as though not smiling at the idea, but more at the joy you would see if you had seen two people completely, madly in love with each other. She sat in silence absorbing all of the information.

"Why was I shot?" She repeated again. His eyes misted over and tried to refocus on the present. He looked over at her blinking once.

"Because Hook and I had a feud and you got in the middle of it. Something I had wished to avoid." He looked back at her legs and she at his hands. The silence stretched between them as though when the conversation stopped, time did as well. Finally he shifted his feet restlessly and tried to stand up. She lunged forward hissing back pain and catching his jacket sleeve.

"No, don't." He was looking at a spot on the floor with such fascination. "Sit." He did nothing, but obey. After repositioning himself in the chair he looked her in the eye with glazed eyes. It made her feel naked. "Rum – " She caught herself before her thoughts got ahead of her. Intensity burned in his corneas and she scooted back a bit afraid.

"What were you going to say?" He was suddenly so animated that she backed up all the way to the other side of the bed. His stare penetrated into her like he could see all of her secrets. "Be – Claire." He stumbled over the syllables of her name. "What were you going to say?" He asked again, not softer, just more in tune with the shock of her words. She tried to reel back in what she was going to say, but it was lost in the soupy fog that roamed her ever upheaval mind.

"I – I can't – " She closed her eyes willing to bring back the letters of the dead word. "I can't remember. Rum. Rumple. Ah!" She screamed in frustration. "As soon as I get out of here they are going to put me back in the asylum I know it." She almost yelled. If she kept having these sudden visions and epiphanies of people that she had hardly even met then no one would believe she was sane.

"Belle?" She heard him whisper and it sparked her ears to listen. The name seemed sacred somehow and she tilted her head to try and absorb every syllable of the word. Hope filled his eyes and he tentatively scooted to the edge of the seat and had an internal battle on whether to reach out and touch her or not, so his hand did a funny little dance that would have made her laugh had this not been so serious.

"Who's Belle?" His hand jerked to a halt. Nothing could be done now he knew it. There was no hope here. She had forgotten him and he didn't even get to say goodbye. He stared at her with pain and sadness then it was gone. He couldn't dwell in that. He felt like he did back in the Enchanted Forest when he got rid of Belle once and for all, or so he thought. It was just like her dying all over again, but this was worse. Thinking she was dead was better because he knew he didn't have to face the rest of his life being so close yet so far. This was far worse because he could keep reaching out to get her to remember, but she wasn't coming back. Now his main mission was to find Bae. And that's just what he was going to do. Claire watched him get up with his confident demure back and he strode out of her room. She wanted to stop him, but what would she say. Nothing. He obviously didn't see the person he was looking for in her. Claire maneuvered herself so that she was looking up at the ceiling from the uncomfortable bed. She closed her eyes and dreamed of faraway lands she had only ever seen in books, and wonderful creatures, and a beast prowling in the shadows of a vast castle.

**So that's it I kind lost inspiration I know its terrible to do that but I felt I should stop before I make a fool of myself thank you for all of the reviews, favorites, and follows they really helped**


	6. Playlist

**So I do these and just thought I should give you a heads up cause most people don't like them but I like people to get the same effect**

Wish You Were Here – Avril Lavigne  
All I Want Is Your – Barry Poulisan  
Fix You – Coldplay  
Lego House – Ed Sheeran  
Bring Me To Life – Evanescence  
Echo – Jason Walker  
Dreaming With a Broken Heart – John Mayer  
As Long As You Love Me – Justin Beiber  
Sad – Maroon 5  
Just A Dream – Nelly  
Far Away – Nickelback  
Home – Phillip Phillips  
Diamonds – Rihanna  
Die Young – Timeflies  
Glad You Came – Timeflies  
Spell On You – Timeflies


End file.
